When mounting a flanged nut or a flanged head stud, such as that sold by the applicants under the trade mark FLANGEFORM and generally described in GB-A-1 474 766, to a formed sheet metal part it is desirable to fix the stud at the same time as performing other pressing operations.
A known problem in the handling of studs in such presses is to ensure correct placement and orientation of the stud throughout its path from a supply container (in which the studs are simply randomly oriented) to its final position fixed to the desired component, e.g. a metal sheet, in the desired position by the press. Studs have a tendency to adopt the wrong position, and if this happens, serious consequences can arise, ranging from an increase in the number of studs inadequately fixed to jamming of the press with consequential loss of production time or even damage to press tools or other components of the press.
By providing better stud positioning and control throughout the path from the supply container to fixture by the press, the incidence of inadequate fixing or other failures can be substantially reduced.